The Sāṃkhya System

Explores the S¿¿khya system and the delicate relationship it articulates between witness consciousness (Purüa) and manifest realities (Prak¿ti), providing a path to freedom through knowledge. The S¿¿khya System brings new life to an ancient Hindu system of thought. S¿¿khya spans the fields of philosophy, physics, metaphysics, psychology, and ethics. Although notably not theological, its key premises can be found in virtually all religious traditions that originate from India. S¿¿khya espouses a reciprocity between Prak¿ti, the realm of activity, and Purüa, the silent witness. It also delineates the phenomenal experiences that arise from Prak¿ti, including the operations of the human body, the five great elements, and the eight mental states. S¿¿khya proclaims that knowledge of world and self can lead to freedom. This book presents a new translation of ¿¿varak¿¿¿a's S¿¿khya K¿rik¿, with grammatical analysis. It includes interpretive essays that explore the philosophical aspects of the S¿¿khya system by Geoffrey Ashton, Ana Funes Maderey, Mikel Burley, Christopher Key Chapple, and Srivatsa Ramaswami, as well as its sociological and psychological applications as delineated by Marzenna Jakubczak, McKim Marriott, and Alfred Collins.